Mumbai:The Heartbeat of Hope and Happiness

Mumbai has something very peculiar that makes it stand apart from all other metro cities. Here, we get to see extreme poverty residing beside extreme royalty. People here struggle for space and try their best to match the pace. Everyone around is aspiring for something may be job, post, power, position, success, dreams, and so on.

It is a city that never sleeps, yet encourages everyone to dream and motivates them to turn those dreams into reality.

In this materially driven city, people still try to squeeze out some moments to find peace and happiness. The avenues are multiple, and everyone manages as per their capacity.

This is a city that offers everything in every budget to suit everyone's pocket, whether it's clothing, housing, food, or entertainment.

But I always wonder about peace and happiness. Can these also be bought?

Many may feel that happiness can be bought with money,good clothes, fancy dining, clubbing, and so on. But then what about people who struggle even for two meals a day?

On my recent visits to the beach, I observed a peculiar phenomenon.

One Sunday, a man, almost in rags, sat amidst the waves and enjoyed himself for almost an hour. He seemed so happy and relaxed. When he finally came out, he was smiling as if he had found some treasure.

Today, when we visited, a group of 6–7 children in the age group of 10–11 had gathered. They opened a bag, pulled out a small bottle of Campa, 2–3 packets of namkeen, and graciously shared everything with one another. Then they all went for a swim. The happiness and joy on their innocent faces were unparalleled.

In a generation smitten by high-end gadgets, these kids surely showed that happiness is still attainable with limited means.

Beach visits are always enlightening. Small babies playing with plastic toys and sand, building structures, watching their footprints being washed away, and still trying again. Curiosity, joy, satisfaction, and determination can all be seen at the same place, costing absolutely nothing.

Visit any temple and watch people gather for bhajans and kirtans. They are so immersed in devotion that bliss simply appears on their faces.

Visit parks on weekends and you will see people reading books together in cozy corners. Book clubs, they call them. Such a paradise for book lovers.

Or go to the promenade and watch people running for hours.

Local trains seem so congested, but they are also places where people bond over the years and even celebrate festivals and important moments together.

Sometimes poor families stay under flyovers or at traffic signals. Their kids also seem to figure out ways to smile in scorching heat with whatever they get.. Broken toys, donated food or clothes..

Those who seek happiness and joy attain it anywhere. This is the biggest lesson that this city always reminds me of.

For people looking at Mumbai from the outside, this city may appear merciless, full of struggles and hardships. But once we become a part of it, we realize that it has so much to offer, making this journey more enriching every day.